The Power of Being Seen—Recognition and Appreciation

Thursday March 7 is National Employee Appreciation Day!

“But wait,” you say, “this is only February!”?

That is correct. I am highlighting this subject not only so you can prepare for March 7th, but also to emphasize that we should not need a national day to remind us to appreciate or recognize our team members. In healthcare, as in other industries, there are a number of special days or weeks where we recognize employees based on their roles: Nurses’ Week, Customer Service Representative Week, Administrative Professionals’ Week. However, as leaders, how can we ensure that we are using recognition and appreciation as “the way we do all things,” rather than “as another thing to do?”

We know that recognizing and appreciating our team results in better engagement, higher retention, enhanced team morale, and increased motivation. But that is not the (only) point.

The point, especially regarding appreciation, is to ensure that each of our employees feels seen, heard, and valued for who they are, and for the meaningful way they enhance our work and the lives of our customers or patients--no matter their background, age, education level, or personal experiences. Being appreciated simply for who they are.

Let us start with definitions:

The Difference Between Recognition and Appreciation

While appreciation and recognition are often used interchangeably, they have distinct meanings and serve different purposes.

Recognition

Recognition is about acknowledging specific accomplishments, behaviors, or outcomes. It is more structured and formal than appreciation. Recognition is about a moment in time. It can take various forms, such as awards, rewards, public accolades, or promotions. It is critical to ensure that exceptional performance and efforts are highlighted and rewarded. It is like the Oscars, but for your office – just make sure everyone writes their speeches ahead of time!

Appreciation

Appreciation, on the other hand, is about valuing employees as individuals. It involves acknowledging their inherent worth, character, and presence in the organization. Appreciation can be as simple as a heartfelt thank you or expressing gratitude for their contributions, regardless of specific achievements. It is often informal and continuous, creating a supportive and inclusive environment. Think of it as the warm hug of the corporate world – without the awkwardness of actual hugging.

Ideas for Effective Recognition

Remember that recognition should be tied to specific accomplishments or outcomes, so it is especially effective when our recognition highlights how the team or team members helped to improve our scorecard, further our mission, or support positive patient or family outcomes. Recognition should be specific and should mention behaviors that can be experienced with one of our five senses.

NOTE: not everyone likes to be recognized in the same way, or in the same way that we as their leader likes to be recognized. To understand how an employee prefers to be recognized you can leverage a questionnaire and ask them. (Recognizing an employee according to their preference is a way of showing appreciation.)

1. Personalized Thank-You Notes

A handwritten note expressing genuine appreciation for an employee's hard work can go a long way. Personalize the message by mentioning specific contributions and how they have positively impacted the team or organization. Remember, no one likes a generic “You’re awesome!” – it is like getting a birthday card with just a signature. Yawn.

2. Public (or Private) Acknowledgment

Recognize employees publicly during team meetings, in department newsletters, or on a company recognition platform. Public acknowledgment not only boosts the recipient's morale but also sets an example for others, encouraging a culture of recognition. Just make sure it does not turn into an Oscar acceptance speech – we do not need to thank everyone’s third cousin! For employees that prefer private acknowledgement, make a point to connect with them specifically for that purpose and don’t combine it with a general one-on-one.

3. Employee of the Month Program

Implement an Employee of the Month program in your company, department, or service line to regularly recognize outstanding performance. Highlight the achievements and qualities that led to the recognition and reward the employee with a certificate or a special small gift. And no, the special gift should not be a “World's Best Employee” mug – though coffee lovers might appreciate it.

4. Team Celebrations

Celebrate team achievements by organizing events or outings. This could be a team lunch, a day out, or a virtual gathering. Celebrating milestones together fosters team spirit and shows appreciation for collective efforts. After all, a team that plays together, stays together – just do not let the leader win at mini-golf, it is a morale killer!

The Importance of Tying Recognition to Company Values

Aligning recognition with a company’s values is crucial for reinforcing the behaviors and attitudes that drive our success. When recognition is tied to core company values, it serves as a powerful reminder of what the organization stands for and encourages employees to embody those values in their daily work.

By linking recognition to company values, leaders not only reinforce the importance of those values but also create a sense of purpose and direction for their employees. It helps in building a cohesive culture where everyone is aligned with the company’s mission and vision.

Ideas for Effective Appreciation

1.??? Time and Attention

For many employees, dedicated face time is experienced as focused appreciation. Schedule time with team members individually, specifically to NOT talk about work items, goals, or performance. Time together can be focused on discussing personal aspirations, achievements, and interests. Especially now, when some leaders have hybrid teams, having dedicated time to connect helps team members feel valued and included.

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2.??? Understanding an Employee’s Motivations

Each of us wants to be understood and valued for what makes us tick. As leaders it is helpful for us to understand what motivates our individual team members, and how we can align job tasks and roles to that motivation. Focusing a conversation on what motivates our people is the easiest way to accomplish this. For instance, if an employee is motivated by working alongside other people, offering the opportunity to work on a group project or initiative will help engage them over time. Alternatively, if an employee is more motivated by doing research on their own, attaching them to a group project may demotivate them.

3.??? Be Intentional About Career and Personal Development

Once you have spent time with your people and understand their motivators, how great would it be if you helped them grow in a way that is meaningful to them? Knowing that your leader cares about your growth and development is like a warm (culturally appropriate) hug. And besides, you never know when one of them might grow and develop into your job (and how long do you really want to do your job anyway?). To help in this process, focus one on one meetings during a specific time of the year solely on career growth and development goals.

4.??? Just Tell Them

Who does not feel better when their leader tells them how much they are appreciated just for who they are and what they bring to the team—with no specific agenda. I know I do! What is it that you value about each of your team members? Telling them takes almost no time at all, and costs nothing. Just make sure that it is authentic.

A Couple Final Thoughts

The Witnessing Effect

The witnessing effect is a phenomenon where people watch how others within their group interact and have an emotional reaction to what they see, impacting how they think and feel about themselves. When a leader recognizes or appreciates a team member the ripples go beyond that interaction. Everyone on the team will benefit when a leader authentically uses recognition and appreciation. It amplifies The Power of Being Seen.

Peer to Peer Appreciation and Recognition

Research has shown that feedback, appreciation, and recognition can be more impactful when it comes from a co-worker or peer. How can we encourage our teams to recognize and appreciate others on the team, or co-workers in other teams? In a previous institution we created a competition to see how many times an employee could recognize or appreciate other co-workers. Follow up evaluation of that program found an increase in engagement of 15%, and an increase in retention of 10% from that initiative. Plus, after the initiative was completed, recognition continued.?

How can you encourage your team members to recognize and appreciate others not only within the team but across teams??

How can you leverage The Power of Being Seen?